Prefabricated Modular Home Additions can Save
Time and Money Compared to Stick Building a Home Addition
By: Mark J. Donovan
A manufactured home addition can
dramatically speed up your home remodeling project and reduce interruptions to
your family’s lifestyle, particularly if they plan to stay in the home while the
work is being done. Unlike traditional home construction projects, with
manufactured home additions much of the work is done offsite. As a result, you
can save money and hassles due to the fact that the construction crews will
spend less time at your home site.
Also, unlike in years past, modular
home additions are constructed on par or even better than today’s stick built
homes and home additions. Part of the reason for this is the fact that the
manufactured home addition has to survive the transportation to the job site,
which necessitates additional structural integrity not always found in today’s
stick built construction.
Manufactured home additions are available in two basic types, ones that connect
onto the side of your home and others that connect on top of your home to create
two story homes.
Modular home additions that attach to
the side of your home are typically used for creating family rooms, in-law
apartments, bump-out kitchens, dining rooms and great rooms. Second story
manufactured home additions usually include multiple bedrooms and baths. A
modular second story addition is a much faster and more efficient way to go when
building up. When putting on a second story, the home needs to be temporarily
vacated.
A second story modular home addition
helps to dramatically reduce the time that the family has to live in temporary
housing, compared to stick building it.
Before moving forward on a home addition project it is important to first check
to see if you legally can. Take a look at your property plot plans and visit
your local building inspector and/or zoning officer to see if there are any
issues with you building a home addition. Also, if you are part of a homeowners
association make sure to check with them too. Make sure there are no deed
restrictions, covenants or easements that will prevent you from building a home
addition onto your home. Also, you’ll need to find out whether or not you’ll
need to bring the rest of your home up to various code standards, e.g. fire
code, if you attach an addition onto your home. In addition, there could be
separate issues if you are going to build a free standing room addition that
doesn’t directly attach to your home. If you have a septic system on your
property you may also be limited to where you can put the home addition.
Moreover if the home addition is to be a bedroom you may need to have the septic
system modified to support the additional bedroom.
Prior to actually signing a contract with a home addition
manufacturer or building contractor it is important that you have your
finances in order first. For example, you may be paying a portion of the
construction in cash and need to obtain financing for the rest. Make sure
you are approved for financing before signing a contract with a home
addition manufacturer or contractor.
Once you’ve got the approvals for building a home addition and the financing
in place, you can then begin the real work in earnest.
Work with home addition manufacturers or modular home builders to develop a
set of construction plans that meet your family’s needs. Once the plans are
nailed down you can then obtain accurate costs and pricing for your modular
home addition.
Make sure when visiting modular home addition manufacturers to bring plenty of
photos of both the outside and inside of your home. Also have dimensions of
the home as well. With this information they can more quickly and accurately
to develop a set of plans to match your needs. Also, when you’ve narrowed down
your list of prospective home addition manufacturers insist that they come out
to your home to view it in person. This way you can prevent unnecessary
mistakes in your home addition’s plans and construction.
When constructing a modular home addition it is advisable
to use a general contractor to oversee and manage all of the onsite work.
With home addition construction projects there are always surprises and
issues that come up. An experienced general contractor will be able to
anticipate many of these surprises in advance and will have proven ways to
address them quickly and cost effectively, and most importantly, with no
frustration and aggravation to you.
Photo by Mark Donovan
The general contractor will also hire all the necessary subcontractors to
perform the electrical, plumbing and other items that will need to be done to
marry the modular home addition to the existing home. See my Home Addition Bid
Sheets to learn how to hire a general contractor.
So if you are contemplating a home addition project its worth visiting a modular
home addition manufacturer and comparing their offerings to the traditional
stick built home addition route. You may well fine that a modular home addition
is the best solution for you and your family.
For more help on building a home addition, see HomeAdditionPlus.com'sRoom
Addition Bid Sheet. TheRoom
Addition Bid Sheet
provides you with the knowledge on how to plan a home addition project,
and what to look for when hiring contractors for your new home construction. It
also includes a detailed cost breakdown table and spreadsheet for estimating
your own home addition building costs.
How to Finance your Home Construction Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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